desire || tom h [onhold]

𝑴𝒓𝒔 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅

It had been atleast a month since Dahlia moved in and the two loved it. The first and last person they saw at the start and end of their day was each other and that made them happy. On a casual weekend morning, Dahlia and Tom decided to make breakfast together. A call from Tom's phone distracted him and he went to answer it.

He was gone a long time and when he finally came back his facial expressions were unreadable. "You okay?" Her voiced laced with concern reached his ears and he looked at her.

"My mom wants to see you" he simply said and Dahlia just stared at him. Both didn't realise that their toast had been burnt.

"Crap the toast!!" Dahlia yelled out from nowhere and he too speedily hurried up to fix up toast.

Once the hassle was done and over with, the two looked at each other. "So you told about us to her?" He shook his head and now she was confused. "I think she must have gone to my office and the coworkers may have spilt stuff" he mumbled.

"When does she want to meet?"

Tom looked up embarrassed and turned his attention to his food. "Day after tomorrow for lunch."

"So we'll go" Dahlia cut up her bacon and had a bite. "Wait huh?" Now it was Tom's turn to be confused. "Look I know you aren't close to them but I already expected this and I'm ready" she smiled reassuringly while leaning forward to hold his hand.

"Are you really sure? Let me warn you my mom can be quite..... high maintenance."

"Yes babe. I'm a hundred percent sure" Dahlia was sure. She wasn't nervous. She loved him so nothing else would really matter.

"Okay"

~

"Okay ready?" He held her hand as they looked at the entrance of the hotel. Dahlia still wasn't nervous on the prospect of meeting his mother. More worried about whether she would say the right words. "Too late to back out right?" Tom giggled and kissed her lips one last time before they entered. Tom had a few friends here and he greeted them. Unfortunately they didn't have the same reactions compared to him. They kept staring at his and Dahlia's hands which were laced together.

"Okay"

He waved towards his mom and Dahlia took a good look at her.

She wore a pretty white blouse paired with a right-below-the-knee black pencil skirt that cupped her thighs perfectly. Her top two buttons of the blouse were undone. Not in a sexy manner. Her three inch long black heels fit her feet perfectly. Her small white purse was kept aside. Dahlia assumed it to be bought from an expensive brand. Her makeup was rather light. Her long black hair was swept to the right and her posture was too formal. She looked beautiful.

"Hey mom" Tom mumbled.
"Oh c'mon son. You see me twice every year so you may as well pretend to be happy" she rolled her eyes, her thick british accent making her more attractive.

"You must be Dahlia. Have a seat dear" Mrs Holland smiled.

"So Dahlia it really is an honour to see you. The way I heard the employees--" Mrs Holland sucked in air sharply and glanced at Tom, obviously upset that she didn't hear it from him. "Talk about how their boss was madly in love, it touched my heart truly. I heard you work with him now. Where did you work before?"

Dahlia turned to Tom who just shrugged. "Um at a another company"

"Which?" She kept smiling but her words were more forced.

"JY Co.in" Dahlia replied.
"Ah..." Mrs Holland nodded but she didn't look any happy. More annoyed.

"Mom..." Tom hissed and Mrs Holland nodded.

"What about your parents sweetie?"
"Passed away when I was young."
"Oh that must have been heartbreaking" Mrs Holland added, her tone obvious with fake sympathy.

"Yes it was."

"Did you ever live on the streets?"

"Mom!" Tom raised his voice while his fists clenched. Dahlia immediately held his knee from under the table and squeezed it. She didn't want Mrs Holland to think she was weak. Even Tom himself always told her. Putting herself first.

"I'm sorry ma'am but that was rude from your side to ask that" Dahlia smiled and drank some water to ease her nerves.

Mrs Holland looked at her disapprovingly but nodded. "Yes I believe so. Sorry."

"And no I haven't. My parents were part of mafia" she added quickly.

Now Mrs Holland choked on her drink and cleared her throat. "M--mafia?"

"Yes mafia"

"A--ahhh" Mrs Holland cleared her throat and now she sat up straighter and let out a laugh. "Dahlia dear I sincerely apologise--"

"Oh there's no need Mrs Holland. You are my boyfriend's mother after all. I really don't mind."

Mrs Holland leaned back and nodded. Her mind was racing. Both Tom and Dahlia could sense it.

Dahlia's phone rang and she excused herself to pick it up. Tom then glared at his mother who was smiling. This time rather happily.

"I like her. She's fierce. She's strong. Keep her son" Mrs Holland finished her drink and walked out leaving her son quite flabbergasted at both his mom's and girlfriend's attitude.

"What the bloody hell just happened?!" He whispered helplessly.

soo do you think mrs holland is good or bad?

hmp💝